Motorcycles (San Antonio, Anton: home, living in, prices)

[sapphire]

MySA.com: Metro | State (http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA041808.am.cycledeath.EN.74f867d8.html - broken link)

It seems like there have been way more than the usual number of bike accidents this year. I guess since more people are resorting to them due to the gas prices--maybe they are not as experienced riders as they should be? Who knows--but we should all be a bit more diligent on the roads and give the bikers some R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!

[hadleyzoo]

I think all drivers on the road regardless of what they drive should give some respect. I've seen lots of motorcycles on my way to Ft Sam every morning who think they can zip in and out better/quicker than cars. But I have also seen a few who are patient and respect other drivers on the road.

[SnappyBob]

I don't think it's a case of people in cars not respecting motorcycles so much as people on motorcycles not respecting the rules of the road and not respecting the machine that they are operating. When you are on a motorcycle you should be extra vigilant so as to avoid having an accident. Instead a lot of the motorcycle drivers I have seen lately act as if they have a death wish. Save it for the race track. Of coarse not all motorcyclists drive like that but the one that wind up getting killed often are.

[gy2020]

I use to work at a racetrack (auto) in St. Louis Metro, there would be some bike events occasionally and right after the event, I would watch these crazy cyclists leaving the track and getting on the highway, doing wheelies and riding on one tire, just crazy. They had seen the events on the track, now they had to show off on the streets.

[majormadmax]

Snappy

Sorry, I have ridden motorcycles all my adult life--I have two now and had at least one while I lived in several different countries (US, Germany, UK and Belgium)--and although I won't disagree that there are some stupid riders out here (erratic riding, no gear on, etc); I have to say that the drivers in San Antonio are either unaware of motorcyclists or just don't care that they are risking their lives. Have have seen people who were looking directly at me (eye contact is a great indicator that someone most likely sees you) but they still pull out right in front of you. I don't know if they are just unable to judge the oncoming speed of a motorcycle or if they just think that because they are in a car they don't have to yield to a bike; but it has gotten to a point that I only ride outside of 1604 and for leisure.

I am a member of a San Antonio sportbike forum and this trend has been noted but I don't really know what can be done about it. After living in Europe, where motorists and motorcyclists respect each other, I know it is possible. It is a matter of discipline, I remember riding out of Brussels at over triple-digit speed and lanesplitting between cars (it is legal there), and cars were moving over in their lane to make room. It was a good to know that they knew I was there, and even though many of you would think it suicidal to ride like that, it really wasn't dangerous and we never saw the kinds of accidents that we see here (to include all motor vehicles).

Basically, I think it is just too easy to get a license in this country, and there isn't enough enforcement of the laws that cause accidents (tailgating, not signally when turning or changing lanes, talking on a cell phone when driving, etc) instead of handing out revenue-generating speeding tickets.

Let's all be safe out there!

Cheers! M2

[SnappyBob]

>>>Basically, I think it is just too easy to get a license in this country, and there isn't enough enforcement of the laws that cause accidents (tailgating, not signally when turning or changing lanes, talking on a cell phone when driving, etc) instead of handing out revenue-generating speeding tickets.<<<

I totally agree with you on the licensing and I'm sure there is a lot of room for improvement on both sides. What I was referring to is the motorcyclists that I see riding 85-90 mph or more and lane splitting in rush hour traffic. Sometimes with not so much as a shirt on and their 15 yr old girl friend on the back. When these guys trip up I don't think it should be blamed on some motorist that wasn't watching out for them or not giving them enough respect.

[rd2007]

I'm going to go with SnappyBob on this one.. I've never been anywhere that has bikers acting like they are above simple physics. I would say maybe half of the bikers I've seen on the road drive with respect to other vehicles and the other half drive like they are above getting some road rash. I've had some actually cut me off and/or get right in front of me and put on their brakes quick. I seriously wanted to launch them and it's BS that I have to slam on my brakes and worry about killing a fool that does not understand they will lose EVERY TIME they go up against a car or truck..
I used to own a bike and treated every vehicle like they were going to hit me and I would never try to mess with them because I knew I would lose. Just more proof that this place is by far the worst when it comes to all drivers..

[SanAntoQT]

Is it legal in SA to ride a motorcycle between lanes? It is here and it's quite unnerving to look in your side view mirror to see some fool on a crotch rocket racing between the lanes. Drives me nuts!

[mrstxcop]

i tend to agree with majormadmax on this one --- my dh owned a motorcycle for a number of years and was a very careful driver and obeyed all the traffic laws --- he had to be careful since he had 3 kids at home to care for, not including me --- he drove a honda cruiser, not a crotch rocket ---

he would come home daily and talk about the drivers that would pull out in front of him --- it happened all the time --- he also talked about the eye contact that was made with him by the other driver, only to have the driver pull out in front of him --- there were also numerous times when he would almost get hit by people not checking their blind spot and just moving over into his lane ---

in the end his bike riding days are a thing of the past --- he was one of the accidents on I-10 in morning rush hour traffic --- i suspect it was not on the news because, thank God, he was not killed --- he was driving along with the flow of traffic when a food truck 3 cars in front of him dropped a dolley on the highway --- the cars in front swerved and slammed on brakes, but the car in front of him had no brake lights --- when dh realized what was happening the only thing he could do was slam his brakes, which made him fly off his bike --- thankfully he had enough sense to realize that when he hit the ground he had to roll left, so as to not get run over by the car behind him --- he slid for a number of yards and the only thing that saved his leg was that he slid on his duty belt on his gun holster ---

he broke a bone in his hand and had a knot the size of a softball on his leg --- he was bleeding from the side of his face and head --- his bike was totaled --- i will never forget getting that phone call from him in the morning and the image of him walking towards me off the on ramp of I-10 with blood streaming down his face is forever etched in my head ---

the hospital staff could not believe that he was alive after going 60 mph and wrecking on the highway ---

as much as i LOVED our gas bill while he had his bike, $7.00 to fill up, that lasted him almost 2 weeks, i LOVE him a little bit more --- i would rather pay the high gas prices for him to be in a car than back on his bike ---

[SanAntoQT]

Originally Posted by mrstxcop

i tend to agree with majormadmax on this one --- my dh owned a motorcycle for a number of years and was a very careful driver and obeyed all the traffic laws --- he had to be careful since he had 3 kids at home to care for, not including me --- he drove a honda cruiser, not a crotch rocket ---

he would come home daily and talk about the drivers that would pull out in front of him --- it happened all the time --- he also talked about the eye contact that was made with him by the other driver, only to have the driver pull out in front of him --- there were also numerous times when he would almost get hit by people not checking their blind spot and just moving over into his lane ---

in the end his bike riding days are a thing of the past --- he was one of the accidents on I-10 in morning rush hour traffic --- i suspect it was not on the new because, thank God, he was not killed --- he was driving along with the flow of traffic when a food truck 3 cars in front of him dropped a dolley on the highway --- the cars in front swerved and slammed on brakes, but the car in front of him had no brake lights --- when dh realized what was happening the only thing he could do was slam his brakes, which made him fly off his bike --- thankfully he had enough sense to realize that when he hit the ground he had to roll left, so as to not get run over by the car behind him --- he slid for a number of yards and the only thing that saved his leg was that he slid on his duty belt on his gun holster ---

he broke a bone in his hand and had a knot the size of a softball on his leg --- he was bleeding from the side of his face and head --- his bike was totaled --- i will never forget getting that phone call from him in the morning and the image of him walking towards me off the on ramp of I-10 with blood streaming down his face is forever etched in my head ---

the hospital staff could not believe that he was alive after going 60 mph and wrecking on the highway ---

as much as i LOVED our gas bill while he had his bike, $7.00 to fill up, that lasted him almost 2 weeks, i LOVE him a little bit more --- i would rather pay the high gas prices for him to be in a car than back on his bike ---

OMG! That had to be a frightening experience.

I've found that Harley/Honda riders tend to be more cautious in traffic. It's those young kids on rice burners that scare the crap out of me. Some time back some kid (actually military, but around 20-21) was taking his sister out for a ride and took a curve on a freeway overpass going around 100 mph. They ended up coming off the freeway and landing on the Dave & Buster's parking lot below. These guys don't seem to realize or care that, not only can they hurt/kill themselves, but others as well.